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My wife and I don't drink or smoke (personal choice), but she does love sports (both on TV and in person), encourages me to collect toys, and stands behind me and supports me 100% of the time (whether I am right or wrong). She is a dream come true for me. Glad to see we both have the type of woman we have always dreamed for...

Well we do put down a couple of Guinnesses from time to time, but I'm not sure puffing a cigar once or twice a year is considered smoking. You're right, though. I should have said "This man's dream." So I stand corrected.

- The Big East Commissioner just quit, amid pressure from the conference's "basketball only" members who were unhappy with how/which new teams were added.
- The dad of a player shattered Alabama's "national title" trophy when he tripped and knocked it off its pedestal.
- Ohio State isn't eligible for a 2012 bowl, but Urban Meyer is already making waves by recruiting other Big10 teams' committed recruits.
- USC is bowl eligible again, looks like a title contender, and has the early Heisman favorite at QB. Sound familiar?
- Illinois fired Ron Zook, Kansas hired Charlie Weis, Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, and Washington State hired Mike Leach.
- Petrino got fired by Arkansas and replaced by John L. Smith, who had just accepted a "dream job" coaching at his alma mater.
- Jerry Sandusky's prosecution continues to move forward, with the news that the civil suit against him now names 17 victims.
- Ohio State lost a high school recruit after a registered sex offender asked him for a picture with him at an Ohio State event, then posted it online.

- The Big East Commissioner just quit, amid pressure from the conference's "basketball only" members who were unhappy with how/which new teams were added.
- The dad of a player shattered Alabama's "national title" trophy when he tripped and knocked it off its pedestal.
- Ohio State isn't eligible for a 2012 bowl, but Urban Meyer is already making waves by recruiting other Big10 teams' committed recruits.
- USC is bowl eligible again, looks like a title contender, and has the early Heisman favorite at QB. Sound familiar?
- Illinois fired Ron Zook, Kansas hired Charlie Weis, Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, and Washington State hired Mike Leach.
- Petrino got fired by Arkansas and replaced by John L. Smith, who had just accepted a "dream job" coaching at his alma mater.
- Jerry Sandusky's prosecution continues to move forward, with the news that the civil suit against him now names 17 victims.
- Ohio State lost a high school recruit after a registered sex offender asked him for a picture with him at an Ohio State event, then posted it online.

- The Big East Commissioner just quit, amid pressure from the conference's "basketball only" members who were unhappy with how/which new teams were added.
- The dad of a player shattered Alabama's "national title" trophy when he tripped and knocked it off its pedestal.
- Ohio State isn't eligible for a 2012 bowl, but Urban Meyer is already making waves by recruiting other Big10 teams' committed recruits.
- USC is bowl eligible again, looks like a title contender, and has the early Heisman favorite at QB. Sound familiar?
- Illinois fired Ron Zook, Kansas hired Charlie Weis, Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, and Washington State hired Mike Leach.
- Petrino got fired by Arkansas and replaced by John L. Smith, who had just accepted a "dream job" coaching at his alma mater.
- Jerry Sandusky's prosecution continues to move forward, with the news that the civil suit against him now names 17 victims.
- Ohio State lost a high school recruit after a registered sex offender asked him for a picture with him at an Ohio State event, then posted it online.

Well, it's a start. I will be doing cartwheels when everyone finally comes to their senses and realizes that we need a playoff season and that team champions from each conference have a right to write their own Cinderella story. Bowl games? Let the champions from each conference play at the different bowls. Then maybe fans will be more excited that seeing two 7 and 6 teams 'duking' it out.

Ah well. Like to man said in the film CONTACT, "Small steps, Ellie...small steps." At least it's a step in the right direction. Maybe when enough fans band together and realize that WE have the power and start exercising it, the powers that be will listen. Did you hear a drum roll somewhere in the distance just now? I did.

Maybe when enough fans band together and realize that WE have the power and start exercising it, the powers that be will listen.

In my uninformed mind & poor memory it wasn't people power. It was a combo of things. It wa Low ratings? and people who could careless/no interest about the SEC. people complaing about the dull and boring outcome

Don't get me wrong. I'm NOT saying those two teams did NOT deserve to be there but the college football people in charge need to understand if they need to avoid what happened last year. why? If they want college football to make money and stay popular they need to change things.

Besides practically every year of the BCS there has been some kind of contraversy in regards to the BCS. Which should tell you that the system is ineffective.

In my uninformed mind & poor memory it wasn't people power. It was a combo of things. It wa Low ratings? and people who could careless/no interest about the SEC. people complaing about the dull and boring outcome

Don't get me wrong. I'm NOT saying those two teams did NOT deserve to be there but the college football people in charge need to understand if they need to avoid what happened last year. why? If they want college football to make money and stay popular they need to change things.

Besides practically every year of the BCS there has been some kind of contraversy in regards to the BCS. Which should tell you that the system is ineffective.

But aren't "low ratings" a way of expressing "people power" -- i.e., a lack of interest because the system needs an overhaul? If a play-off season generated phenomenal ratings -- as I believe it would -- then ad rates would go up, profits would go up, broad interest in the sport because there would be play-offs from each conference would go up? What's bad about that?

But aren't "low ratings" a way of expressing "people power" -- i.e., a lack of interest because the system needs an overhaul? If a play-off season generated phenomenal ratings -- as I believe it would -- then ad rates would go up, profits would go up, broad interest in the sport because there would be play-offs from each conference would go up? What's bad about that?

I can't and won't argue that.

When I think people power I think pickets, letters written, protest etc..

Not intentially not watching something because you have no interest in it.

When I think people power I think pickets, letters written, protest etc..

Not intentially not watching something because you have no interest in it.

But you see, television executives care only about the ratings because that's what translates to dollars they can charge advertisers. So not watching is a powerful tool. Of course it means a lot more when there is someone to articulate precisely why people aren't watching -- such as, "Why should the 95% of viewers who don't have a team in the Bowl games watch when they would be watching Conference Championship Playoffs leading up to a National Championship?" But as long as we tune in to games with two 7 and 6 teams playing each other in the Toilet Bowl, the powers that be (TV execs) have no incentive to change. We need a season in which 95% of us turn off the TVs...except for the Championship Game. Hit them in the pocket. Cost them half a billion in lost ad revenues and then, perhaps, they'll get the message and the message is: Conference Play-off Season

And if they want proof that I'm right, then here it is: I couldn't care less about college basketball. I think there are way too many teams and way too many games and I don't have a team I care about. But I watch every single game during March Madness and invariably I'm pulling for a Cinderella team to win it all...and there are millions of others like me. Have a Conference Play-off Season in college football leading up to the National Championship Game and watch what happens to ratings, ad revenues and excitement during that month. Can you imagine if Hawaii had won the National Championship Game a few years ago yhanks to being a part of a Conference Championship Play-off Season? Can you imagine the excitement of some of the now ho-hum Bowl games if the teams copmeting in them weren't mediocre but, instead, were conference winners with a shot at going all the way?

Apollo Creed knew exactly what he was doing when he gave an unknown club fighter named Rocky Balboa a shot at the greatest title in the world. College football, imo, ought to take a page from both Apollo and the NCAA basketball that I don't care about...except for one month each year.

College football fans across the nation have been very vocal about wanting a tournament for years, and the ratings have started to reflect that. I'm so happy that the BCS people (by way of the TV people, I'm sure) recognized that fans are increasingly less and less interested in the BCS games. The BCS committee has nobody but themselves and their ludicrous system to blame.

I can't wait for the College Football Final Four!!!

Latest news...
Looks like Arkansas has some more problems to deal with - this time with their players, not their coach...

College football fans across the nation have been very vocal about wanting a tournament for years, and the ratings have started to reflect that. I'm so happy that the BCS people (by way of the TV people, I'm sure) recognized that fans are increasingly less and less interested in the BCS games. The BCS committee has nobody but themselves and their ludicrous system to blame.

I can't wait for the College Football Final Four!!!

Latest news...
Looks like Arkansas has some more problems to deal with - this time with their players, not their coach...

Great points, k. You see, here's the thing -- and why it's taking so long for this to dawn on them I don't understand: The bowl games -- BCS Bowls and the Meineke Bowl and the Beef 'o' Brady Bowl (honest, it's a bowl game) and maybe the K-Y Jelly Bowl or whatever other new pseudo-bowl games they'll come up with this year, don't attract a large audience because -- with the exception of the last two bowl games -- they're meaningless. Who cares who wins a bowl game that puts the winning team in thirteenth place in the final rankings? But if the team that won that same bowl game -- which would now be a match-off between two conference winners -- now has a shot at the National Championship, then every conference championship/Bowl Game means something...and potentially means something huge, just like the early March Madness face-offs. Heck, I'd watch that K-Y Jelly Bowl game if I thought the winner could be a Cinderella team that could (pardon the pun) go all the way.

The phrase Michael Wilbon started using on PTI during last season was "meaningless exhibition". It fits perfectly. And I think that sentiment is starting to spread through other commentators/talking heads, because it's a reflection of how the fanbase already feels.

When there were only a handful of bowl games, it meant something to get selected for one. But there's so much money to be made off of college football, that now every city wants to host a bowl game, so the bar to get in has been lowered to... finishing 6-6. That's just inexcusable in my book. You finished at .500! Enjoy this celebratory game! No. Boo. I hate it.

And don't forget last season's debacle in the Pac-12. USC won their half of the conference, but was ineligible to play in the post-season, so the 2nd place team got to play for the conference title. That meant 6-6 UCLA got into the conference title game. Now, that I can understand, given the circumstances. But then UCLA (predictably) lost, making them 6-7 and not bowl-eligible. Because the standards for bowl eligibility are already so low, they would've gotten to a bowl if they just hadn't had to play in USC's spot. So the NCAA stepped in and said, "Well in this case, we'll guarantee you a bowl spot because that 7th loss wasn't really your fault." So UCLA gets picked for the "Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl", where they promptly lose and finish 6-8. What part of that was compelling tv?

Now, give me a world with an 8 team tournament...
- the winners of the 6 BCS conference title games get auto-bids (Pac-12, Big10, Big12, ACC, Big East, SEC)
- the final two spots go to the best two remaining teams - could be a little school, could be a 2nd place team from a BCS conference

Now the conference title games act as the first round of the playoffs, so you've actually got a 12-team playoff before the actual Elite Eight tournament starts. And that makes for compelling tv.

The phrase Michael Wilbon started using on PTI during last season was "meaningless exhibition". It fits perfectly. And I think that sentiment is starting to spread through other commentators/talking heads, because it's a reflection of how the fanbase already feels.

When there were only a handful of bowl games, it meant something to get selected for one. But there's so much money to be made off of college football, that now every city wants to host a bowl game, so the bar to get in has been lowered to... finishing 6-6. That's just inexcusable in my book. You finished at .500! Enjoy this celebratory game! No. Boo. I hate it.

And don't forget last season's debacle in the Pac-12. USC won their half of the conference, but was ineligible to play in the post-season, so the 2nd place team got to play for the conference title. That meant 6-6 UCLA got into the conference title game. Now, that I can understand, given the circumstances. But then UCLA (predictably) lost, making them 6-7 and not bowl-eligible. Because the standards for bowl eligibility are already so low, they would've gotten to a bowl if they just hadn't had to play in USC's spot. So the NCAA stepped in and said, "Well in this case, we'll guarantee you a bowl spot because that 7th loss wasn't really your fault." So UCLA gets picked for the "Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl", where they promptly lose and finish 6-8. What part of that was compelling tv?

Now, give me a world with an 8 team tournament...
- the winners of the 6 BCS conference title games get auto-bids (Pac-12, Big10, Big12, ACC, Big East, SEC)
- the final two spots go to the best two remaining teams - could be a little school, could be a 2nd place team from a BCS conference

Now the conference title games act as the first round of the playoffs, so you've actually got a 12-team playoff before the actual Elite Eight tournament starts. And that makes for compelling tv.

There is this article saying that The university of Iowa A.D. wants the bowl requirements set to 7 wins. His Iowa state University counterpart wants it at 6. The article goes on to say that it will be discussed during a BCS commissioners meeting on June 20, even though the main topic will be playoff proposals when the university presidents will meet June 26.

The A.D. of Iowa's 3rd public school University of Northern Iowa (a FCS) feels going to a 7 win game will benefit them. Feels it will give them leverage.

The Iowa State A.D. feels 7 wins will water down the non conference schedule. DUH! This may be a side effect but it's a week one. It's a moot point since (pretty much) everyone would have one. Practically cancels itself out.

In a side article the Big 10 commissioner say win your division and you're in the playoffs. he's not pushing for a particulart format. But he did talk to chicago reporters about a proposal that would purt four conference champions, ranked among the top six, into the four-team playoffs. Basically, i guess, a playoff sytems with the BCS conference champions.

Haha, thanks, dude. That might be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me on the Org

Originally Posted by Southzen

I make a prediction for next year someone will be left out of the title race and be mad and loud about it.

I assure you that will happen... because the tournament won't start until the 2014 season!

Seriously though, I'd much rather listen to people argue about which team gets 4th spot in the tournament, than argue about which two teams deserve a chance to win the national title. Sure the 5th and 6th place teams will make their cases every year, but at least you're not just picking which two teams play for the title.

For 2013, I'm actually cheering for a repeat of the 2004 season, when SEC champion Auburn went undefeated and got left out of the national title game. That'd be the most appropriate way to end the BCS - with an undefeated conference champion getting screwed out of a shot at a national title because 3 teams happened to go undefeated. Fingers crossed!

Haha, thanks, dude. That might be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me on the Org

I assure you that will happen... because the tournament won't start until the 2014 season!

Seriously though, I'd much rather listen to people argue about which team gets 4th spot in the tournament, than argue about which two teams deserve a chance to win the national title. Sure the 5th and 6th place teams will make their cases every year, but at least you're not just picking which two teams play for the title.

For 2013, I'm actually cheering for a repeat of the 2004 season, when SEC champion Auburn went undefeated and got left out of the national title game. That'd be the most appropriate way to end the BCS - with an undefeated conference champion getting screwed out of a shot at a national title because 3 teams happened to go undefeated. Fingers crossed!

Oh man, you can bet your butt and mine that the NCAA & BCS will up to no good to make the BCS appear as a 'legitamate' system. Expect game officials to try to throw games.

Yeah, ESPN isn't covering it much, because the way they stuck it to the ACC in their TV deal is what started the rumors. Basically, the ACC signed a 15-year TV deal, and all the big money comes at the end of the contract. Florida States athletic dept needs to cut $2.4M a year - they need money now, not in 9 years. Plus, what seems like "big money" now, probably won't be considered "big money" in nine years - college football's just going to keep growing, especially with a tournament!

The chairman of Florida State's board of trustees commented that, "On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what it is in Florida State's best interest." That caused rumors to spread like wildfire, of course. You can read the details here: Florida State trustee may have lit the fuse on a potential move to the Big 12

I haven't heard much about Clemson leaving the ACC - they've been there since it was founded in 1953. I think it's a lot more likely that Miami would go with FSU. That'd give the Big 12 a division with TX/OK and one with FSU/Miami. That'd also open up both territories for recruiting.

The Ohio State AD says they have 12 pending NCAA violations (in addition to the 46 secondary violations they self-reported last week). It's not known if the 12 violations are major violations or not. It's also not clear how many violations relate to the football team.

Well my good friends, today is a very special 'red' (get it? ) letter day for me -- a day I eagerly look forward to each year.

It's only 100 days UNTIL THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA'S CORNHUSKER'S OFFICIAL KICK-OFF OF THE NEW SEASON!!!

For some reason -- at least for me -- the last hundred days roll by pretty fast. I'm looking forward to a great 2012-2013 NCAA football season. Lots of fantastic teams, great rivalries and -- hopefully -- a lot fewer scandals than we had last year. Good luck to everyone!

Well my good friends, today is a very special 'red' (get it? ) letter day for me -- a day I eagerly look forward to each year.

It's only 100 days UNTIL THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA'S CORNHUSKER'S OFFICIAL KICK-OFF OF THE NEW SEASON!!!

For some reason -- at least for me -- the last hundred days roll by pretty fast. I'm looking forward to a great 2012-2013 NCAA football season. Lots of fantastic teams, great rivalries and -- hopefully -- a lot fewer scandals than we had last year. Good luck to everyone!

100 days and counting. Bring it on!

GO BIG RED!!!

Not as excited as you Mr. O.

Mainly it's still to far away.

However, Last week the University of Iowa released their 2015 & 2016 schedules.

And the big story of that is Wiscon is not scheduled those two years. and Indiana I want to say also.

I don't have the schedules handy so I can't comment any further on them.